Lucinda Williams “Buttercup” (2011)
Some rock singer’s voices are almost so bizarre you wonder how they even had the audacity to step up to a microphone and try in the first place. I mean, what on earth gave Tom Waits the idea that his grotesque growl could possibly ever work in popular music? Or Lou Reed? Or Joe Cocker??...... Read More
Band of Heathens “Trouble Came Early” (2016)
When a group literally brands themselves a band of heathens they better have something besides mere paganism to back it up. A song with an opening chord that sounds plucked right from ‘Street Fighting Man’ is a good place to start. The Band of Heathens are another in a seemingly endless line of quality Americana/roots-rock...... Read More
Bottle Rockets “Happy Anniversary” (2006)
What is a bar band? It’s undeniably hard to describe, even harder to define. But as Justice Potter Stewart famously declared in 1964 speaking then about pornography, I know it when I see it. Or in this case, hear it. The Bottle Rockets are... Read More
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real “Just Outside Of Austin” (2017)
Sure, he’s got it in his genes. But Lukas Nelson, Willie’s 29-year-old son, has also got it in his jeans: Sex appeal and star power, to go along with unbridled talent. It’s blasphemous to suggest, perhaps, but maybe even more so than his dad. This guy... Read More
Dr. John “Such A Night” (1978)
Whether performed by Dr. John or Mac Rebennack, "Such A Night" from The Last Waltz was unforgettable by any name.... Read More
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit “Cumberland Gap” (2017)
Is mainstream success still possible for good bands, such as Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit?... Read More
Brandi Carlile “The Joke”
Following the release of 2018's "The Joke" being an opening act was not something Brandi Carlile had to worry about any more.... Read More
Texas Gentlemen “Habbie Doobie”
The Texas Gentlemen with an irresistibly catchy song and a video that features an armadillo race started by a one-legged girl. Yup, you read that right.... Read More